Warmth
by lanybug135
Summary: It was a cool, crisp, December night in Magnolia and Lucy was bundled up in four heavy blankets on her bed. The power had gone out earlier that day and had left Lucy alone in her apartment without any electricity. It was a Saturday evening and Natsu was supposed to be coming back from a mission with Happy around 8 p.m.. Lucy had... (Rated T for sensitive topics harsh language.)
1. Chapter 1

**Hey! It's been a while since I've written anything! Thought I would try and write a story with at least 10 chapters (we'll see how close I actually get to that xD) and decided this was the kind of plot I wanted to go with. Anyways, PLEASE review, I would like some feedback as to where you guys might want the story to go or maybe some writing tips? Hope you enjoy!~**

 **WARNING: Slight spoilers for the book** _Eleanor and Park_ **in between the ~~~~ symbols. If you want to read the book or are currently reading the book, just skip the paragraphs enclosed in the ~~~~ symbols. The parts that mention the book are not vital to the story plot so it is okay to skip them. Thanks! :)**

It was a cool, crisp, December night in Magnolia and Lucy was bundled up in four heavy blankets on her bed. The power had gone out earlier that day and had left Lucy alone in her apartment without any electricity.

It was a Saturday evening and Natsu was supposed to be coming back from a mission with Happy around 8 p.m.. Lucy had planned to meet him at the guild hall but it was already 8:10 and she didn't want to get out of her warm blankets. Natsu was probably having a blast at the guild without her anyways, he was always happy, especially when he was around his family.

Lucy shivered and pulled her blankets closer to her and briefly thought about calling Aries to have her insulate her bedroom with fluff so she would be warmer but quickly shrugged the thought off. She gave her spirits the weekend off and didn't want to disturb them, even though they always said that she was never a bother. She had used them a lot the previous week when Natsu and her had gone on a mission to help out another guild rebuild a section of their guild hall. Apparently there was a quarrel between some mages that got a bit out of hand and ended up for the worse. Doesn't that remind you of a certain pink and raven haired duo?

Lucy had read at least three books today and she was getting bored. Don't get her wrong, Lucy absolutely adored reading, especially romances, but after a couple of hours of reading she was getting tired of it. And her apartment was getting dark without any lights. She sighed as she flopped one of her favorite books, _Eleanor and Park,_ back down onto her bed. She loved that book so much and had read it through a thousand times, probably more. She knew every nook and cranny of that book but it always gave her chills whenever she read it. ~~~~ She loved the way that Park and Eleanor adored each other and it brought tears to her eyes every time that she reached the end of the book.

The book reminded her of her past, in a way. ~~~~ Lucy's father was abusive, physically and mentally. Lucy shuddered and shook her head to keep herself from crawling into the back of her mind. She had never talked about her father being abusive to anyone and didn't plan to. Like she said, the book reminded her of her past, she wasn't going to dwell on the small things that didn't matter anymore.

She had a family now, one that treated her with love and care. She truly believe that they would always be there for her and they had proven that more than once. They had all made it through the tough times together and always had each other's back. They always cheered Lucy up and made her feel like she could accomplish anything. Even though Lucy wasn't that strong of a mage, FairyTale didn't look down on her for that. For once in her life Lucy felt accepted, and that was the best feeling in the world.

She smiled softly as she pulled her knees up to her chest. And then there was Natsu and Happy. They were something else. Natsu was a hot-headed, flamebrain who never knew left from right. But he also knows how to be himself, how to love, how to be compassionate. He was the one who showed Lucy how to be herself. How, she could never figure it out, but somehow Natsu Dragneel, of all people, had figured out how to crack Lucy's jail cell wide open and show her how enchanting the world could really be.

And then it clicked. It was like the final piece to a puzzle was found.

 _I love Natsu Dragneel…_

Lucy gaped out her window, eyes wide open in realization.

She loves Natsu Dragneel.

How could she have been so blind to that? It was so obvious, all this time. Why she would get butterflies in her stomach every time she was with him, every time she thought about him, why she would get so worried about him when he went on solo missions.

Lucy Heartfilia loves Natsu Dragneel.

"I love Natsu Dragneel..." She whispered, barely audible. She paused and said it again but louder.

"I love Natsu Dragneel…" She said it with more confidence this time, almost as if she was declaring it for herself.

"I love Natsu Dragneel, I love him! I really do love him!" She proclaimed, giggles erupting from her throat at the pure silliness of what she was doing. But somehow saying it out loud made it more true, more real. Lucy beamed up at her ceiling, smiling from ear to ear. She loved Natsu Dragneel, loved him more than anything in the world.

"I love Natsu Dragneel," She repeated. She liked the way the words rolled off of her tongue, like she had a need to say them.

Lucy gazed out the window, the snow blowing in flurries of white. Eventually, Lucy fell asleep to the gentle wind blowing outside her window, soft chills running down her spine as she drifted to sleep.

"Oi Happy! Ssshhhh! You'll wake her up!" Loud whispers filled Lucy's ears as light creeped into her vision. She slowly sat up and used her hand to prop herself up-right. She used her other hand to keep the light out of her eyes.

"I thought my power went out yesterday..?" She yawned softly while stretching her arms.

Wait, was that Natsu that just was talking?

Lucy's eyes widened, now fully awake as she studied her surroundings. Yellow walls with raw wood framing the windows, a stone fireplace, and worn down flooring with a matching kitchen across the room. She was in Natsu's house.

"W-wha, how..?" She questioned scratching the back of her head. Her eyes wandered until she found Natsu, hunched over the stove. He turned around, a pan in his right hand and a matching whisk in the other. Lucy thought her heart would beat out of her chest.

"Oi, Lucy! You're awake! You- woah!" He exclaimed as he almost dumped out the contents of the pan onto the floor. He laughed sheepishly and turned back to the stove and set the pan and whisk down.

"Natsu, why-?"

"You looked cold when I went over to your apartment last night. You didn't meet happy and I at the guild last night and Mira said you hadn't come in at all yesterday, so I got a little worried." He explained," So Happy and I went over to make sure you were okay. When we got there your apartment's power was out and it was cold, so Happy and I brought you to our place so you wouldn't be cold anymore! I'm actually surprised we didn't wake you up when we brought you here, you sleep like a rock!" Natsu walked over and leaned against the bed frame, looking at Lucy as he explained.

She sat on the bed,memories of last night popping up into her head. Her face instantly turned redder than Erza's hair, and was sure that Natsu could hear her rapid heartbeat. It was then that Lucy realized all that Natsu was wearing was loose fitting, white pajama pants and no shirt.

He had _nothing_ covering his abdomen. Lucy was practically drooling over his muscles.

"O-oh, well, thanks I guess…" She stammered, her eyes glued to his abs.

Natsu raised an eyebrow at her and leaned down to meet her eyes, "Hey, you okay? Your face is really red. Oh no, are you getting sick? I can go get Wendy if you want?" He worried.

"N-no, no no, I'm fine, just tired that's all! Yeah! Just tired!" She laughed as she waved him off.

"Oh, Happy and I will be quieter then, you can keep sleeping! I was making some eggs for breakfast so I'll wake you when they're done, 'kay?" Natsu smiled at her and continued to cook like there was nothing to it.

Lucy sat there dumbfounded, mouth agape.

"Y-yeah…" She managed to squeak out before flopping down on the bed, face first, trying to hid her tomato colored face. Lucy groaned internally.

This was going to be a long morning. _Especially_ if Natsu didn't have a shirt on.

 **So yeah, leave a review! I'll try and post more soon! Thanks for reading!**

 **~Lanybug135**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello my little floofers(That's what i'm gonna call you guys now tehehe)! It's me again! This chapter took me ALL DAY to write. Literally though, after writing this chapter, I'm really excited to write this story. Just a little side note, this takes place before the Tenrou arc when Lucy's father is still alive. (Spoilers? tehehehe~) ALSO CREDIT IS DUE WHERE CREDIT IS DUE! My friend Lizz helped me SO much with this chapter and it's TEN TIMES better than without her opinion so THANKS BUNCHES to her! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE leave a review and tell me what you think! I would love to hear your guy's opinions, especially now that we have 14 followers! WOAH, THAT'S INSANE, and only after ONE CHAPTER! Also, new name for the story,** _ **Warmth**_ **! Well, i've rambled long enough, so enjoy!~**

Lucy relaxed into Natsu's covers. They smelled welcoming, like the sweet smell of scorched wood in the middle of a dying campfire. She sighed, debating if she wanted to leave the warmth of the bed. She was about to get up when someone softly nudged her shoulder. She turned her head and was met by kind eyes and a gentle smile.

"Hey, Luce, breakfast is ready." Natsu coaxed gently. Lucy grumbled and sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"I'll be there in a moment." She yawned, stretching her arms upwards. Natsu's face was brushed with a slight pink. He quickly whipped around and started walking back toward the kitchen, "U-uh, yeah…" he mumbled, hoping that Lucy wouldn't notice how flustered he was.

Lucy swung her legs over the side of the bed and slowly stood up, popping her back as she shuffled to the bathroom. Her hand rested on the handle but Happy's voice stopped her before she opened the door.

"Nashuuu," He questioned, "you never make breakfast, why're you makin' it today? Do you even know how to make eggs?" Natsu shushed him before continuing to focus on the pan. Happy silently pouted and sat on the old counter top and watched his companion focus on the task in front of him.

Lucy closed the door to the bathroom and leaned against the wall. Was Natsu making breakfast just for her sake? No, there's no way that he would do that. Lucy exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding. Natsu was nice but he wouldn't make breakfast just for her. He was probably just really hungry, after all, he ate ten truck loads of food each day. Lucy turned on the faucet and splashed warm water on her face. She looked at her reflection in the small, battered mirror in front of her. Her hair was a mess, sticking out in all directions, there were bags under her eyes, showing off all the reading she did last night. Her clothes were crooked, her shirt falling off her shoulder, and her pajama pants half way rolled up on one leg. She quickly fixed her appearance, doing everything she could to look presentable for Natsu. She looked in the mirror one last time, wishing she had her concealer with her to hide the bags under her eyes, and then turned the door handle and forced her legs to walk towards the kitchen. As soon as she left the bathroom the smell of burnt eggs filled her nose. She coughed and walked towards the kitchen where Natsu was panicking over the stove top.

"Natsu, what are you doing?!" She yelled over Happy's high pitched screaming.

"Making eggs?" He said, not sure what to do.

"Here, let me have it!" She nudged him out of the way and took the smoking pan outside. She dumped the eggs, or what was left of the eggs, behind a bush and went back into the smoke filled house. She walked over to Natsu, set down the burnt pan, and turned to face him.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?! YOU COULD'VE BURNED DOWN THE PLACE BY DOING THAT! IF YOU COULDN'T MAKE BREAKFAST THEN WHY'D YOU EVEN TRY IN THE FIRST PLACE?!" She yelled, a vein popped out on her forehead.

Natsu shrank down, "S-sorry," He squeaked, "I just wanted to do something nice…"

Lucy paused and studied his face. Was Natsu, blushing?

"H-hey, it's fine, I just didn't want anyone to get hurt." She said carefully, "Let's open up some windows to air out the place."

Natsu nodded before proceeding with Lucy's orders.

Lucy turned around and walked to the closest window and turned the handle to open it. Lucy was relieved that Natsu hadn't hurt himself. She didn't know what she'd do if he did. She looked over to him and noticed he was hanging his head and shuffling his feet as he walked around the small kitchen. She sighed and called him over.

"H-hey Natsu," She started, "I c-could teach you ya know…" She looked at the ground, keeping her gaze on the floor a blush blooming across her face.

Natsu blinked at her before a gentle grin spread across his face.

"I'd like that a lot."

Lucy nodded, keeping her eyes down, too embarrassed to look up at him. She walked over to the stove top and grabbed a new pan from the cabinet to her right. She then walked over to the fridge and grabbed three eggs and some butter. She walked back over to the stove before taking a deep breath.

"You want to learn how to make a sunny side up egg right?" She inquired, trying to busy herself as an excuse to not look at him.

He mumbled in agreement, making Lucy jump slightly at how close he was to her. She mentally slapped herself before grabbing a bowl from the cabinet to her left.

"First, you'll want to warm your pan and grease it with butter so nothing sticks to it." She taught as she turned the knob on the stove to medium heat. Natsu watched intently from Lucy's left. After about a minute, Lucy put a small slice of butter into the pan and moved it around. Once it was melted and and started to bubble, she started to crack an egg into the bowl.

"Make sure to always crack your egg in a bowl before you put it into the pan, otherwise you might get some egg shell in there." She said knowledgeably. Natsu nodded eagerly, soaking up the information like a sponge. Lucy tried not to focus on the fact that Natsu was still extremely close and tried not to shiver every time his breath tickled her neck.

"T-then you carefully pour the egg into the pan." She shuddered as another breath hit her neck, causing her hand to tighten around the bowl.

"Then you leave it in the pan until the yolk sets." She said, watching small bits of melted butter jump off the pan.

"What does that mean exactly..? When the yolk sets?" He asked, moving so he could see the pan better.

"Uh, i-it means that it won't move around, so it'll s-stay in place."

"Oh."

Lucy shifted her stance slightly to the right, trying to give herself some room, but Natsu leaned in more, leaving less space than there was before. She made a small squeak, her hand brushing against his leg by accident. She immediately pulled her hand to her chest, hoping he didn't think her hand was wandering into _that_ spot. Her face heated up, turning a crimson red.

"Oi, Lucy, is the egg done now?" He asked, snapping Lucy out of her panik. She looked at the pan, careful to avoid his gaze. Wait, was he trying to catch her eye?

"Oh, y-yeah." She agreed, reaching for the spatula, keeping her gaze slightly to the right. As she was about to grab it, Natsu's hand came out of nowhere and met her's so his hand was resting on top. Lucy jumped, looked at the ground, and pulled her hand away, frantically trying to avoid awkwardness. Failing, Lucy leaned into Natsu, not realising that he was still at her left. She let out a small whimper, desperate to get this over with and leave.

"S-sorry." She whispered before reaching for the spatula quickly, so Natsu didn't have time to reach for it as well.

"T-then you t-take the spatula a-and use it to take t-the egg up off t-the p-pan and onto a plate." Her voice was uneven along with her hand as she lifted the egg off the pan and onto a waiting plate. As she was about to put the spatula down, Natsu's hand grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. She gasped from the sudden gesture and held her breath. Natsu's eyes were dark and stern, obvious that he had something to say.

"I don't like it when you don't look at me," He spoke firmly, " so just, relax."

Lucy stood there, forced to look at his eyes, but not wanting to look away either. They were the same as always, but they held a confidence to them that she had never seen before.

"O-okay…" She gasped, trying to calm her heart rate, fully aware that Natsu's other arm was wrapped around her waist, pulling her into him.

They sat there for a moment before Natsu let go of her, suddenly realising how close they had just been. He turned around and looked around the room uncomfortably. Lucy sat there and watched him in shock. What had just happened?

"I-I think I should leave…" She paused, "I'll see y-you later…"

Natsu nodded, not moving from his position. Lucy turned off the stove and headed towards the door. She was about to open the door when Natsu spoke up.

"H-hey, I'm sorry, for making you uncomfortable, I mean..." He paused, "You're my best friend, I don't want you to feel like you have to act different around me."

Lucy turned her head to look at him. He was still facing the wall, too embarrassed to look directly at her. A small, sad smile found it's way onto Lucy's face.

"It's okay Natsu."

Lucy opened the door and slammed it shut. She bolted down Natsu's pathway, desperately trying to get away from the house so he wouldn't see her in such a mess. She felt a hot tear run down her face as she slowed back down to walking.

"Why am I crying?" She said, more tears falling down her face.

Lucy sat there, silently letting her face be stained with salty tears.

' _I knew it would sting, but why does it sting this much?'_ She thought as she continued on her way home. She was stupid to think that they could ever be more than friends. After all, he only thought of her as her best friend, but then why did he do what he did? Why was he so close to her, why did he play with her heart like he did? Lucy wiped her eyes as she finally arrived in front of her apartment. She walked through the front door of the building and walked up the stairs to her home. She unlocked and opened the door, fresh tear stains on her face. She froze dead in her tracks when a familiar voice filled her ears.

"Not too bad of a place you have here Lucy."

' _Dad?'_

 **Ehehehe, cliff hangers are SO great, aren't they? Next chapter will be out hopefully before next weekend!**

 **~Lanybug135**


	3. Chapter 3

**HEY! Sorry for not getting this chapter out sooner! School got in the way so that was my main priority at the time. This chapter (without the author's note and stuff) was 2,016 words! WOOT! That's a big improvement for me because normally my chapters are only around 1,500. Also...WE HAVE 31 FOLLOWERS! That's AMAZING! Thanks a ton guys! I'll do my best to keep it up! Anyways, enjoy my adorable little flooffers! 3**

Lucy gently poured the hot water into the teapot and set the pan back down on the stove. The power was back on in her apartment so she could use all of the utilities again. She grabbed the tea pot carefully and walked it over to where her father was sitting on her couch. She gently poured the hot water into a tea cup, and watched as the tea and water danced together until they became one. She set the teapot down and took a seat on the floor, parallel to where her father was sitting.

Lucy wasn't mad at her father, she was just hurt. After her mother died, he had completely ignored her. He had actually hit her once, but she never told anyone that. He hadn't meant to, or that's what he claimed. Lucy inwardly slapped herself, trying to focus. It was just another thing that made her weaker, she shouldn't still be hung up on it.

"I came here to talk about business matters," He paused, taking a sip of tea, "there have been some changes regarding ownership, along with future plans for the business."

Of course, it was always about business. Lucy cleared her throat before replying, "What do you mean?"

Jude stood up and started to pace behind the couch, "I've re-married."

His words tore through her fast, unexpected, and ruthless. He had _re-married?_ What about her mother? There was no way that he would've done that, she must've misheard.

"Sorry, come again? For a moment I thought you said that you re-married-"

"Her name is Madellyn." Jude cut her off, " I'll be bringing her by later on this evening. I would also like you to come back to the estate to meet a possible successor for the business to take your place..."

Lucy's ears started to ring, tuning her father out. She stared at the teacup in front of her, drowning in her thoughts. He had re-married. It was true. Why hadn't he told her about this _woman._ What was so great about this woman that he felt he had to do so much as to _marry_ her? Lucy's gaze drifted to the box, tucked away under her desk chair; half open, a letter sticking out of it. She wrote to her mother _every day_ while Lucy's father was _jerking off_ with another woman without giving a second thought to it. Lucy poured everything she had in her into those letters, hoping that somehow her mother would see them and smile up in heaven. She visited her mother's grave every year and placed flowers on it and prayed and prayed and _prayed_ for hours while her father was merely acknowledging her existence! Who did he think he was? Lucy's hand bunched up into a fist, anger raging through her veins, urging her to punch something, _someone._ Her father was just another idiotic toy that had one goal; money. Lucy's thoughts were shaken when her father noticed she wasn't listening.

"Lucy?! _Listen_ to me when i'm talking to you!" Jude slammed his fist on the table in front of Lucy, causing the teacup that Jude had drank from to fall on the floor and break into jagged pieces. A stray piece flew at Lucy and cut her wrist, making her flinch. It stung, but Lucy was too far away to feel it. Blood fell like a blanket of crimson onto her hand and pants. Jude looked at the broken cup before standing up and fixing his tie.

Lucy glued her eyes to her red stained hands, her knuckles turning white at how much she was gripping her pants.

"Now that I have your attention," He hissed, "I'll be coming back over with Madellyn later tonight around 8:00 p.m.. I expect the best of you." Jude threatened, disapproval laced through his voice.

' _How dare he…"_ Lucy's thoughts were clouded with rage. How could he brush off her mother like that. Layla was the _best_ thing that ever happened to him and he _knew it._

Jude smirked, thinking he won, and slowly walked towards the door. His hand rested on the handle, waiting for a response from Lucy. When he heard none, he opened the door and walked out into the hallway. He was about to close the door but was stopped when a foot slammed on the ground, forcing it to stay open. Jude's eyes met with Lucy's fiery brown one's, flakes of dark brown reflecting light. She swung the door open and stepped up to him, her aura dark and threatening.

She spoke in a black and thunderous tone.

"I don't care, that you mentally and physically abused me, that you don't care about my existence, and I sure as _hell_ could _care_ _ **less**_ about _you._ But if you disgrace my _mother_ like that, then you've crossed the line. Don't go around acting like you don't miss her because I _know_ that you do. I've written a letter to her _every day_ knowing _damn well_ that I will _never,_ _ **NEVER**_ , get another moment with her and you," Her voice quivered with pure rage," you just go on and _fuck_ another woman?! Like she _NEVER EXISTED?!_ If ANYONE'S the disgrace in this family, it's _you._ I don't want to see your _**disgusting**_ face anymore. Get out of my life, before I make your's a living hell _._ And take your stupid _bitch_ with you while you're at it!"

Before Jude could react, Lucy slammed the door in his face, hatred and adrenaline coursing through her. She shook violently and took a step backwards, recoiling from her own words. A silence filled her apartment, an ugly empty silence that Lucy hated. She listened to her father's footsteps fade away as he walked down the stairs that led out of the building. She sat fell to her knees, her head hung in resentment. She hated how her father looked at her, like she was a bird that couldn't fly, with pity. She looked to the box where she kept the letters that she wrote to her mother. She stood up and lifelessly walked over to it, her eyes gray, void of emotion. The letters were neatly stacked into piles, sorted by date. Lucy picked up the box and walked it over to her trashcan. Her mind was telling her to stop, to scream, to lash out, to do anything other than what she was about to do, but her body wouldn't listen. Something in Lucy snapped as she watched the letters fall into the bin in a cascade of ink and paper.

She ran to her snow covered window and threw it open, not bothering to grab a sweater. She jumped out into the cold afternoon and slid off the roof, stumbling when she hit the ground. She started to run, letting her legs lead her. The grayness in the corners of her mind clouded her thoughts as her bare feet slapped on the ice covered streets. She remembered how broken her father had been when Layla first died. She had watched him fall apart at the foot of her mother's grave. The next day he drowned himself in his work. She felt no sympathy for him now.

Lucy ran the streets of Magnolia, blinded by rancor. Her father had managed to make her life a living hell yet again, so why should she care anymore?

Natsu growled and sat up from his bed. Lucy had left a few hours ago, leaving him to his thoughts. He had messed up, calling her his best friend when she was clearly more. Natsu scoffed in disgust for himself. He stood up and walked over to the bathroom and turned on his shower. He stripped his clothes off and sighed as he let the hot water run down his spine. He clenched his fist as images of Lucy scattered his vision. He couldn't get her out of his head! He hadn't meant to say it, it just slipped out on instinct. He always assumed that Lucy would never be more than his best friend, but these last few months had proven that wrong. He always caught himself staring at her when she wasn't looking. It wasn't his fault though, she was just always beautiful, funny, smart, powerful, and her curves weren't anything to laugh at either. Last night, Lucy looked like she was glowing while she slept, so calm. Natsu exhaled, he knew he had to go make things right, he wouldn't be able to face her if he didn't and that would just make it worse. He wasn't going to find anyone like Lucy every again, and he knew that.

When she had woken up this morning in his bed, it felt right to him. Like she was meant to be there. Maybe she was.

Natsu shook his head, clearing his mind of images of Lucy. He punched the shower wall, making a deep indent in it. He messed up, big time, and he wasn't about to let things end up like this.

Natsu quickly turned the shower off and grabbed his towel. He dried himself off and threw on new clothes. He pulled on a tighter-fitting, long sleeved, gray shirt along with dark skinny jeans. He wore a black jacket over his shirt and put his scarf around his neck, like always. He grabbed a pair of dark red gloves and threw them on as he ran outside, barely closing the door behind him. The cold nipped at the little openings in his clothes but he ignored it. He ran down the pathway towards town where Lucy's apartment was. He would tell her how he felt, he would make things right.

Natsu darted through the heavy snow, moving lightning fast. He turned a corner and jumped over a group of people, barely avoiding a woman's head. The woman yelled and ducked, her hands covering her head where Natsu's foot had just brushed. He looked back apologetically before pushing his legs to go faster. He didn't have time to stop and waste time on empty apologies, he had to tell Lucy how he felt. Natsu was diving through two people when his eyes caught on something, no _someone._ Natsu stopped hard, feeling his leg muscles strain at the sudden command. He ground his teeth and turned on his heel and came to a complete stop. He stood up and made himself look as tall as he could. The man he had caught eyes with stepped out of the heavy crowd and met his stance with equal confidence. A tiny crowd was slowly forming around them, murmurs and whispers rolling around from person to person. Natsu swallowed hard, his stomach suddenly dropping. Something was wrong.

"What did you do?" Natsu hissed, poison entwined through every syllable as the words left his mouth.

Jude stared at him with dangerous eyes and flashed him a tight smile.

"I haven't done anything, I simply just wanted to see my daughter."

"Bull shit." Natsu spat, his eyes turning a red as deep as wine.

Jude snarled and turned his back to Natsu. Natsu scoffed and stopped himself from taking a step forward. Instead he took a step back and spoke, "I don't want to waste my breath on the likes of you."

Natsu turned and bolted off in the direction of Lucy's apartment. He would find Jude later, right now, Lucy was his main priority. He knew something had happened the moment he had caught the mischievous glint in his eye. Natsu stumbled, barely missing a young boy, holding his mother's hand. He regained his balance, forcing his numb legs to go faster. He saw Lucy's apartment come into view, his heart swelling with hope, but he already knew she wouldn't be there. He jumped onto the roof, and jogged up to the already open window. He cursed and jumped through the window of the familiar apartment.

"Lucy?" He yelled, out of breath.

No response.  
He shouted in anger before throwing himself back out into the frigid, winter air.

He would find Lucy, if it was the last thing he would do.

 **Leave a review!**

 **~Lanybug135**


	4. Chapter 4

**Heyyyy my main floofers! How are ya likin' the story so far? I mean, me personally, I like it** _ **a lot**_ **but, I'm probably a little bias (lol). My friend mentioned that I hadn't put Happy in the last chapter so I gave him his own little feature at the end so look forward to that! Anyways, I'll try and get a chapter out before next weekend but no promises. The latest I'll put another chapter out is next Saturday so I'll still try to stay on somewhat of a schedule. The next chapter will be a huge climax, so I'll try and make it really EPIC for you all! This chappie was a little shorter than I wanted it to be as well so sorry for the lack of content. Enjoy!~**

Natsu didn't know how long he'd been running, but it had felt like forever. His legs were numbed from being outside for so long, but Natsu kept going. He had checked everywhere for her, her favorite bookstore, coffee shop, the Magnolia tree, everywhere except the guild hall. Natsu ran up to the front entrance and grasped the pole of the archway before his legs gave out. He slid down and sat in a pile of snow, not caring that his pants were getting soaked. His chest heaved as he took deep breaths of air, gasping for oxygen. He fought for consciousness as dark spots dotted his vision. He had to find Lucy, he couldn't let his body give up now. He _wouldn't_ let himself give up. Natsu leaned his head against the freezing bar. He had to find her, make sure she was safe. Natsu took another deep breath while the black dots in his vision spread. He had to find her, make sure she's safe. He felt his body slowly losing strength and he fought to keep consciousness.

Natsu lost and his body slumped, finally giving in from exhaustion. His eyes fluttered closed, with images of Lucy burned onto the inside of his eyelids.

Some minutes later, Gray strolled out of the guild, shirtless as always, Juvia following close behind. He had come back from a mission earlier that day, and Juvia just wouldn't leave him alone. He smiled at the snow that fell gently onto the ground. He always loved winter, it reminded him of when Ur and Lyon would run around making snow angles. Gray was halfway out the door, when he saw a figure slumped against a pole. Gray rushed over and cursed. He called out to Juvia who was at his side in a second. They both carried Natsu's unconscious body into the guild.

"Hey, someone get Wendy! Flame-for-brains passed out!" Gray yelled, trying to mask his worry with his nickname for his comrade. Juvia held the door open as Gray heaved Natsu over his shoulder and set him down on a bed. He watched as Natsu mumbled something and threw his head to the side. Juvia leaned against the wall parallel to the bed.

' _What the hell did he do this time..?'_ Gray thought as a small blue haired mage entered the room, Carla following close behind.

"What happened?!" Wendy exclaimed, worry strewn across her young face.

Gray shook his head, "We don't know. We just found him outside the guild passed out cold…"

Wendy nodded and went to Natsu's side. She pressed her fingers against his neck. She nodded slightly before removing her hand and placing her hands across his chest. Carla watched Wendy as the small mage's hands started to glow. After a moment, the light dimmed and Wendy turned to Gray.

"There's nothing wrong with him internally, I think he was just tired. I don't know why though…" She paused, her finger on her chin in thought, "He doesn't normally push himself this far unless he's in battle."

"Maybe it had something to do with Lucy..?" Carla spoke up, "No one's seen her for a few days. Maybe he was worried.."

Gray looked to Natsu and nodded. When it came to Lucy, Natsu tended to lose all logic and reason. Gray exhaled and glanced to Juvia who was studying him with open eyes. Gray blushed slightly and looked to the opposite side, covering up his pink face. Wendy smiled softly at his sudden movements and resisted the urge to laugh. Really, why hadn't they gotten together yet? It was obvious that they liked each other.

"I could try and wake him up, but it would take a little bit. The spell works the best when I know the exact reason why something is wrong but it should still be effective enough to give his body some more energy. It will speed up his white blood cells to help him heal faster, and hopefully cause him to wake up." Wendy explained knowledgeably.

"Lu…no…" Natsu worried in his sleep, scrunching his face.

"Okay," He started, "thanks Wendy. We'll leave so you can concentrate."

Wendy smiled and nodded and watched them leave the room.

"Child," Carla chided, "If you think he's just unconscious then why are you wasting your time on this? He'll wake up eventually."

Wendy sighed and looked at her hands.

"I know, but something like this hardly ever happens. I feel like I should do at least something to try and help. Sometimes I just feel so useless..."

"Wendy, I want you to know that you are far from useless! You are a very vital part of this guild and you should never feel that you can't do anything!" Carla scolded.

"I know, but…" Wendy tried to argue but stopped herself. All she could do right now was try and help natsu.

She took a deep breath before splaying her hands over Natsu's chest. She focused her energy into her hands and furrowed her brow in concentration. Slowly, a small ball formed just underneath Wendy's hands and started to grow until it was about the size of a basket ball. It had a yellow glow, and Wendy slowly pushed the ball down towards Natsu's abdomen. There was a small whoosh when the ball made contact with Natsu's chest. There was a swell of light before it died down and Natsu's face became calm. His eyebrows un-furrowed and his face relaxed. Wendy sighed in accomplishment and leaned back in her chair. Carla watched her with prideful eyes, proud that Wendy had done the task with masterful hands.

"When do you think he'll wake up?" A female voice boomed from behind Wendy, causing her to jump. She turned her head and was met by worried gray one's.

"Erza!" Wendy exclaimed, grabbing her chest out of surprise, " So you heard…"

"Mh," Erza agreed, "I asked Gray what the commotion was about. So, he just passed out right?"

Wendy nodded and looked back to Natsu. He was breathing evenly, and seemed more at ease.

"Yeah, i'm not sure why though. Carla said it might've had something to do with Lucy." She paused, "No one's seen her in days…"

Erza clenched her hand and stared at the ground. She already knew why Natsu had worked himself so hard. He wouldn't admit it but Natsu loved Lucy, more than she thought humanly possible. It was cute to see him fret over her sometimes. He was still stupid to push himself this far though.

Erza's thoughts were interrupted by Wendy's gasp.

"Natsu!" Wendy exclaimed as Natsu slowly sat up, wincing slightly at the sudden loud noise. Wendy looked regretful but quickly recovered and helped him sit up.

"Wha- Lucy." He cut himself off. Erza walked over to him and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"We'll help you look for her in a moment, but you should tell us what happened-"

"NO! No, I have to go find her! Her father, he did something, and I don't know what. Erza, I have to find her!" He yelled, desperation in his voice.

Erza furrowed her brow and studied his eyes. They were boring into hers with an intensity that she had never seen before.

"Natsu, I know you're worried but-"

"NO! You DON'T know! Do you know how much Jude had put Lucy through?! He know's her every, EVERY weak point! Something is wrong, and I'm not going to let Jude ruin Lucy's life, _again_."

Erza looked at him through wide eyes. She had ever seen Natsu this serious, especially about Lucy. Natsu swung his legs over the bed and stood up much to Wendy's protests. He grimaced when he stood up but he fought through the pain. Erza knew she couldn't stop him, he wouldn't let anyone get in his way. He had finally realised how important Lucy was to him and he wasn't about to let that slip through his fingers. She walked to the door and opened it. She stood and waited for Natsu.

"Go." She spoke, her voice thunderous and proud. Natsu had grown up.

He slogged over to her and paused when he reached the door frame.

"Thank you." He whispered.

"Bring her back, safe." Erza gazed at him with a small smile.

She watched as Natsu struggled to the guild's front doors, his steps gaining confidence as he walked.

"Seems like the spell you used on him worked." Erza said while patting Wendy's head. Wendy nodded, happy that she could do something to help.

Natsu paused just outside the guild doors. He raised his fist to the air and made an 'L' shape, his face looking up towards the sky. Erza and Wendy both did the same, knowing that Natsu would never give up, no matter how much he or anyone else wanted him to. Slowly, the rest of the guild members raised their hands to the air in a silent cheer.

"I'll bring her back safe, I promise." He whispered before running off into the white streets of Magnolia.

' _Wait for me Lucy, I'll be there soon.'_

Happy yawned, small tears forming in the corners of his eyes. He squinted and stretched his arms upwards and stood up.

"Nassshhhhuuuuuu…" He whined, "I'm hungryyy, can we go fishingg?" He drawled as his stomach growled. When Happy heard no response he walked around the empty house. When he found no one he started to panic.

"Oh no! W-what if something happened to them! I should go out and find them and make sure Natsu and everyone else is okay!"

But then Happy felt very tired.

"What? No I don't!"

 **Yes you do! And so Happy fell asleep and was completely oblivious to the chaos around him.**

"Who are you! And why is your text bold?!" Happy exclaimed

 **I am the author and whatever I say goes! So you fall asleep!**

"What's your name?" He quizzed, wanting to figure out who this mysterious person was.

 **My name is Lany.**

"Lenny?"

 **No, it's L** _ **a**_ **ny. With a hard** _ **a**_ **.**

"Lahny?"

 **NO, it's LAY-NIE, Lany!**

"Loonie?"

 **NO! Argh! See, this is why I didn't put you into the third chapter!**

"Why can't I go look for anyone?! I want to help!" Happy piped.

 **Happy, I know you do, but adding you in now would break the intensity of the story. I'm sorry buddy…**

"Oh…" Happy sniffed, looking at the ground.

 ***sigh***

 **Fine, here;**

Since Happy was so sad that the author had forgotten about him, she granted him with a thousand fish.

"THANK YOU AUTHOR LAUNY!"

 **IT'S LANY!**

 **Hope you enjoyed!**

 **~LANYbug135 ;)**


	5. Chapter 5

**There is no excuse as to why I haven't updated in forever.**

 **Except for writer's block.**

 **I don't like this chapter. I have rewritten it at least six times and have hated them all. This was the third re write and it's still pretty trash, but I wanted to post it so I could keep this story going. I am sorry for not posting another chapter in forever, but I tried to make this chapter longer to make up for it. (It's only 2,180 words so not long at all. :( Sorry, I tried...)**

 **I will try to update again soon, but finals are this upcoming week so you probably wont get another one until around the 24 or 25. I might do a small little snippet for christmas at the end just to be a little more festive though. (No promises though)**

 **I have not proof read this, so sorry for grammar and mistakes.**

 **Im trash, I know but I'm trying. Enjoy~**

Lucy's face contorted in pain, her legs screaming with insufferable agony. She had been walking for hours, aimlessly wandering the streets of Magnolia with little to no clothing on. She was still wearing her pajamas, a loose tank-top with big, drawstring sweatpants. She shivered, the wintry air nipping at her bare arms. Her feet were numb, frostbit and red.

The blonde mage had reached her limits a while ago. She knew she should have gone back to her apartment sooner but she just couldn't stand being there. The once peaceful and happy place that she had called her home for many years was now tainted with fresh, ugly memories. Those memories had been stuffed down her throat, choking and suffocating her causing her mind to spin with rage.

Jude used to be happier, more fatherly but it all changed ((WHEN THE FIRE NATION ATTACKED)Jk, back to the story xD) after Layla died. He drowned himself in his work, trying to bring the Heartfilia Konzern to the top. Once he had achieved that, he didn't know what to do anymore. He had lost his wife, his daughter was still young and naive, clueless to how bitter he had become from his work. The only thing he could think to do was drown out the empty space in his life with alcohol. When he was drunk, he wasn't himself, he became this over arrogant man who thought he could do anything, be anything, destroy anything, Lucy being one of those ' _things_ '.

Lucy shivered and shook her head, forcing the dark memories away. She thought that she had left her father and his abusive nature back at the estate but she was wrong. Her father was even more bitter than before and to make things worse he re-married. He had _re-married._ The way he talked about her, his ' _wife',_ it made Lucy want to punch him, puke, and cry all at the same time. The only woman he should call his wife is Layla and it made Lucy's mind go numb with resentment that he even dared to speak of this woman like he did. He was just a disgusting pig who wanted nothing more than to be number one and would do anything to get there and _stay_ there.

Lucy shuffled a stiff leg forward, but it didn't respond and she crippled to one knee, the bitter and cold ice jabbing into her leg. Her vision burst with white, excruciating pain shooting through her whole body. She bit back a scream and ground her teeth. Shifting her feet weakly, she used her hands to push herself back upright, her muscles tight and uncooperative. She grabbed her left shoulder and continued to limp forward, the evil whispers of unconsciousness persuading her to give in. Violent shivers shook all throughout her body, her teeth chattering loudly.

Why was she so weak? Yeah, she was a member of fairy tail and yes, the magic she used was rare and powerful making her a strong asset to the guild, but sometimes she just felt so _useless._ God she wished Natsu were here, he would make everything better, take her into his arms and make her feel safe.

She took in a shallow breath, her breath visible in the frigid air. Her apartment finally came into view and she let out a strained laugh and stumbled. She recovered quickly, knowing that if she fell again her muscles wouldn't move on command.

She somehow managed to reach her apartment and fell against the familiar building. She opened the door and tumbled onto the stairs in front of the doorway, smacking her head against the hardwood floor. She let out a noisy groan and swallowed thickly. She silently cursed, wishing that the landlady was here to help, but she left to visit her family after Lucy's father had suddenly showed up.

She moved her legs and tried to stand but cried out at the sharp, severe sensation that invaded her legs. The corners of her eyes became misty and she closed them hard. She wouldn't cry, she _wouldn't_ cry. She lay on the floor in a heap, completely vulnerable and helpless. Her mind wandered as she tried to steady her breathing. If she started to cry, it would be harder to breath and she couldn't afford that. Her body was already so beaten and broken, she had to keep the little energy she had left. A picture of Natsu's face suddenly flashed in her mind. Lucy smiled weakly at the thought of him. Yeah, she wouldn't be able to be more than friends with him, but at least he was still in her life. He was always there when she needed help and was so cheerful-

Her thoughts were interrupted by a quick, stabbing pain in her head. She groaned and peeled herself off of the floor.

She had to do something, she was weak and she _knew_ that she wouldn't be able to make it up these stairs. No one was there to help her.

Her mind instantly went to Natsu again.

She could call him.

She has her cell phone, she could call him.

Lucy weakly grabbed her phone from her sweatpants and quickly unlocked it. She fumbled with the buttons and scrolled through her contacts before she found the familiar pink haired mage's picture. She hesitated over the call button. Would he pick up? He probably wasn't even worried about her. She could just call someone else, but would she be okay with that? Natsu was the person who Lucy trusted the most, and that was saying a lot. Lucy almost never trusted people because of her father, and that had ruined her childhood.

"Oh, and you must be Lucy, right?" A deep female voice drawled. Lucy jumped and dropped her phone, clicking the call button before it slipped from her grasp. She turned her head and narrowed her eyes.

"Who are you?" She questioned, trying to think of what to do next. She couldn't move and there was no way she could defend herself. She soaked in the woman's appearance with untrusting eyes, scaling up the enemy. Before her stood a woman in her mid-thirties, wearing a slim-fitting sickly green dress that ended just above her knees. Black, patterned tights outlined her muscular legs. She wore gold pumps along with a gold necklace with a big emerald in the center of it, complimenting the woman's yellow, cat like eyes. She had a golden band on her left hand, with three bracelets on the same wrist. She was well endowed, her breasts practically falling out of the tight dress. Her waist was tiny, so small that it looked like you could bend her in half. Lucy tried to stand but her body disobeyed her command and she didn't move, completely and utterly vulnerable.

"You're apartment was just so, _adorable."_ The woman said drawing out each syllable as she spoke.

Natsu fumbled with his phone as he ran through Magnolia, taking a sharp right. He threw it open and glanced at the caller id before pounding the green answer button.

"Lucy?" He panted into the phone, concern and confusion laced his voice.

"Why were you in my apartment?" Lucy's voice sounded rough and weak.

"What? Luce I checked to see if you were there, but no one responded. What's wrong?" He tried to get a response but none came.

"Oh nothing my darling! Just simply following your father's orders! Oh, terribly sorry my lovely, i'm Madelyn, your father's new wife. It's just _so thrilling_ to finally meet you!"

Natsu heard a thump and a groan following soon after. Vile laughter filled Natsu's ear making him furrow his brow in anger. Whoever this woman was, she was going to pay.

"Lucy!?...LUCY!? Answer goddam-" Natsu's pleas were cut short by a loud shriek and an audible crunch.

"I'm coming Lucy, just hold on!" Natsu spoke, determination swelling in his chest. He wouldn't let something bad happen to Lucy, he _wouldn't_. She was his sunshine and he wasn't going to let someone burn her out.

Natsu gripped his phone and sprinted towards Lucy's apartment, desperation in each step he took. He was gonna kick someone's ass, and who ever they were, they weren't gonna be alive afterwards.

Lucy shrieked in pain as Madelyn threw her head against the wall. White light bloomed in her eyes, agony and pain shooting through her spine. She bared her teeth as pictures of her father flashed in her mind.

"Oh my, I'm sorry, did I do that? How _rude_ of me!" She drawled, venom dripping from her thick, low, voice.

Lucy tried to respond but a strangled choking sound came from her throat, causing Madelyn to scoff.

"Tired are we?" She spat, a maniacal laugh at the end of her sentence.

Why was this woman so cruel?

Lucy howled as her scalp was roughly tugged, and her limp body was dragged up the stairs, her back bumping each step harshly.

"Such a shame, and I was hoping you would put up a fight!" Her step-mother laughed as she threw open her apartment door. Lucy's eyes rolled back into her head and she lost consciousness. Moments later she came back to the heel of a gold shoe pushing her head down to the ground. Lucy's body went limp as memories of her father danced across her eyes in a vicious taunt. She knew her father had done terrible things to her, but why were those memories surfacing again? She had spent so much time keeping them away from her thoughts and now all her efforts were futile. Lucy lay on the floor helpless as she was beaten to a pulp, memories and pictures of her father with a bottle in his hand invading every corner of her mind. Lucy wasn't aware that Madelyn was screaming at her, she wasn't aware that she had bruises all over her body, she didn't care that she was going in and out of consciousness, all she could see and think about were those _damn memories._

"Hey...HEY!" Madelyn screeched in Lucy's ear, "Why won't you RESPOND?! You UNGRATEFUL BRAT! YOU SHOULD'VE NEVER BEEN BORN! I came here to try and help you but all you do is lay there like a stupid, useless, _child!_ " Madelyn's unforgiving voice echoed through Lucy's head before the wedding ring on her hand glinted in the light, and her hand came down onto Lucy's bare face. A sickening slap and thud filled the air as hand met skin.

The door burst open and an inhuman figure screamed and launched at Madelyn without hesitation. Lucy's mind went completely blank as her head was thrown once again into the wall from the momentum and her mind went blank, thoughts of her father lingering like a ghost, taunting her in her unconscious state. Images of her father beating her crossed her mind like a slideshow. Image after image, picture after picture whispering to her in an agonizing lullaby of forever unrest.

Lucy was drowning in darkness, and there was no one to help her. Not even her spirits, her guild mates or Natsu could save her from the terrible images, memories, and thoughts of her despicable father, beating her, scratching her, and screaming at her.

 _You're so USELESS!_

 _YOU NEVER SHOULD'VE BEEN BORN!_

 _You ungrateful brat! I've given you everything that I can!_

 _Lucy, your mother's dead, she's GONE! Stop hanging on to the past!_

She was just spiraling and spinning and suffocating in her memories, those terrible, disgusting, cruel memories that would never go away.

Natsu hurled himself at the woman in front of him and threw her into the wall. He lobbed his fist at the woman's face with out hesitation. An audible crack filled his ears and he smirked, satisfied with his work. He lifted the woman by the front of her dress and slammed her against the wall again. He tightened his grip around her dress and pulled her face close to his.

" _Who the Hell are you?!"_ Natsu screamed, a thousand voices in one filled the room. Steam was rolling off of his body, his skin fiery hot and red. He had small horns placed just above his ears. His eyes had turned a blood red and his hands turned into dark, black claws. The woman's eyes had become wide with fear, her mouth slightly open from the impact. He pulled her face closer and rammed his forehead into hers. The woman shrieked in pain and tried to loosen Natsu's hands from her dress.

" _DEMON! GET AWAY FROM ME!"_ Madelyn cried, pure terror behind her words. A dry laugh escaped Natsu's lips.

"I'm far worse than a demon," He spoke, "I'm your biggest _nightmare..."_

Natsu's arm reared back, ready to punch. But before he could do anything he felt a cold hand on his shoulder. His body tensed up and he whipped his head around.

Natsu's eyes met with a pair of deep navy ones.

"Gray-?"

Natsu caught a glance of four people before a fist flew towards his face.

Everything went black.


	6. Chapter 6

**SOOOoooo,**

 **Yeah, I'm back...**

 **Welp, I've had this chapter just sitting in my google docs for a while and forgot about it...I revised it slightly because it was pretty bad and unfinished. I didn't proof read so sorry for mistakes but I have to go work on a project in a little bit so I don't have time.**

 **I'll post on this story untill I hit 10 chapters (that'll be the final chapter). As far as posting it will be pretty random due to my schedule at the moment.**

 **Anyways, hope you enjoy~**

Gray cursed and waved his hand around.

"Holy shi- how hard headed _IS_ he?!"

Erza punched his shoulder as she walked by him, clearly irritated. Ignoring Gray's whining, she walked up to the woman lying on the floor where Natsu had pinned her to the wall. The woman looked up at her with terrified eyes. The woman opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out.

Erza scowled at her before speaking.

"It doesn't take that much to tick Natsu off, but this isn't like him. I don't know what you did, but you're sure as hell gonna pay for it." Venom dripped from her voice. Madelyn tried to cower away, but had nowhere to go as Erza cuffed her.

Wendy and Mirajane were hovering over Lucy, studying her bruises and arm. So far Lucy had a concussion and a broken arm, but thankfully, no internal bleeding. Wendy wiped her brow of sweat before commencing with a healing spell.

"Oh Lucy, what happened?" Mirajane whispered, her brow furrowed in concern. Wendy held her breath and focused on healing Lucy's broken arm, fighting back a silent tear that had crept its way onto the crease of her eye. She hated seeing her friends like this, but she had to be strong, for Lucy's sake.

Gray stood over Natsu's unconscious body. He watched as the creature before him slowly became more recognizable. Smoke was billowing off of him and his red scales were slowly morphing back into skin. Gray pulled his hand threw his navy blue locks. What the hell had flame brain done this time?

Erza walked back over the Gray, her eyes a pool of confusion and anger.

"What happened here?" She whispered, sounding defeated, "Natsu isn't himself, clearly, but why? There's no way he would have done that." She motioned towards Lucy.

Gray exhaled and crossed his arms over his chest.

They sat in silence, and watched over their teammate, their thoughts in complete disorder and chaos.

The only thing running through everyone's mind;

What happened?

Eventually, Natsu woke up from the throbbing pain coming from his right temple where Gray had decked him. He moaned and tried to move but was restrained by four tightly bound shackles around his wrists and ankles. He was in one of the dungeon rooms, with concrete floors and stone brick walls. He was up against a wall, with his face facing towards the bars that separated him and freedom.

"Why am I down here?" He asked aloud, his voice echoing at his last word.

There was a shuffle and a grunt followed by heavy footsteps that grew louder with each one. Natsu looked straight ahead, waiting for the person to show themselves.

"Oi, Salamander, you really fucked up this time ya idiot." A rough voice thundered through out the dark chambers.

"What do ya mean metal head? Last time I checked, I did nothing wrong."

The iron dragon slayer stared at the pinkette with utter bafflement.

"Whaddya mean you 'didn't do anything wrong'. Don't tell me ya don't remember?"

Natsu looked at Gajeel with a concerned and a genuinely confused face.

Gajeel scoffed and leaned against one of the opposing walls.

"You seriously don't remember _anything?_ Not even beating the crap out of that, what was her name, Madison chick?"

Natsu hung his head, scattered memories flooding the front of his mind.

Gajeel grumbled and pushed himself off the wall.

"I'm going to get a drink. Try and sort your mind in the meantime." And with that, Gajeel left, his footsteps echoing once more.

Natsu shut his eyes, memories rushing through his mind like a fast-forwarding movie; Lucy, His house, Jude, Lucy, the phone call, Lucy, Madelyn, _hate_ , _Lucy_.

Natsu gasped, the sudden rush of thoughts slamming into him like a semi-truck.

Lucy.

 _Shit._

Was she okay?

Fuck, he had to get out of this cell.

He tried to burn his arms out of the chains, but they were magic bound. He pulled his arms and threw his body forward but the shackles wouldn't budge. As the minutes went by, he became more irritated. He was completely and utterly useless.

"Oi! Gajeel!" He waited for a response, but none came. He tried again.

"Gajeel! Iron head!?" Still no reply.

"Gajeel?! Gray!? Erza?! ANYbody?!" This time there was a clunk coming from the direction of the staircase.

"Hey! Could you come and let me out please? I've about had it with this cell, as homey as it is…"

"My child, do you know the severity of the situation?" An old and tired voice bounced off the walls.

"Oi! Gramps, do ya think you could unshackle me? These bracelets don't really go with my outfit."

Makarov sighed and opened the cell door and sat on the floor in front of Natsu.

"Natsu," Makarov took a heavy breath, "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?"

Natsu flinched at the sudden outburst.

"Gramps, I don't know what came over me… I just remember being so angry, like I was on fire."

Makarov glanced at Natsu.

"Gramps you gotta believe me, I wouldn't have normally done that...I just, I saw Lucy on the floor and I lost all reason…"

Makarov stood up and moved towards the shackles on Natsu's wrist.

"Natsu, I don't know why you did that, but you better figure it out soon. If something like this happens again… I don't know what we'll do." Makarov looked Natsu in the eyes.

Natsu saw something in Makarov's black eyes. In the old master's eyes, there was uncertainty. Makarov wasn't sure what the next step was.

Natsu nodded as Makarov removed his chains.

"Before you leave you should know that the guild is pretty shaken up about what you did. They might not accept you as easily right now." Makarov warned.

Natsu nodded and ran to the stairs but paused before proceeding.

"Do you know where Lucy is?" Natsu asked.

"She's in the infirmary, I believe Wendy is with her." Makarov replied while closing the cell door.

Natsu nodded and ran up the stairs, disappearing behind the stone walls.

Makarov exhaled, "Igneel, I sure hope you taught him well…"

 **I don't remember where I was taking this story, so this will be an adventure for all of us. Thank you to all of you who favorited and commented and followed like two years ago, hope you're still willing to read my story :)**

 **Have a good day, and untill next time!**


	7. Chapter 7

**So, I mostly got positive feedback on the sixth chapter (Yay!) but I did get a guest review on the first chapter about the book I mentioned,** _ **Eleanor and Park.**_ **In the first chapter I did spoil the ending of the book (Oops! It's been a while so I don't remember everything I wrote lol.) so I wanted to apologize to that guest and anyone else who I ruined the book for. I have gone back and edited the chapter and wrote a disclaimer about the book so I don't spoil anything for anyone anymore! (Woah, that was a lot of "anys" haha!) I hope you've all had a wonderful week and continue to have a great weekend. Enjoy the chapter! :)**

Lucy felt broken, inside and out. Her father had burned the last bridge she had with im, and his wife had literally broken her arm. She wished they would both just leave to some far off land and never come back.

All that she could remember was Madeline screaming before she blacked out. When she woke up, her arm was bound in a cast and her head was pounding. She was in the infirmary with Wendy looking over a book with Carla sitting on the desk next to her. They both looked exhausted.

"Wendy, you look tired, you should go home and sleep." Lucy said through a rough voice. The small tween jumped at the blonde's voice, but immediately ran over to her after the initial shock had worn off.

"Lucy!" She cried, "We were all so worried!"

The celestial mage chuckled cynically, "Yeah, Madeline was brutal." Lucy shivered at the memories of last night.

"Speaking of which, where is she..?" Lucy said slowly, a slight tinge of fear in her words.

"Erza turned her over to one of the guards in town. I wanted to heal some of her wounds before we handed her off, but Erza wouldn't let me…" Wendy replied.

"Why would you have healed her in the first place?!" Lucy yelled, outraged at the naiveness of the girl. "That woman broken my arm!" Lucy's head was hammering from her own outburst but she ignored it. She was truly infuriated with Wendy. How could she _want_ to heal the woman who had done so much to hurt her?

Wendy looked at her with wide eyes.

"Lucy," Carla started, "It's not what you think-"

"Then WHAT?" She yelled, "Then what is it..?" The last few words came out barely audible. Lucy was more hurt than anything at this point. She knew that Wendy had a pure heart, but this situation was just too personal for her to let this go.

Lucy was about to speak when Natsu came bursting in the door. He stopped halfway between where Lucy was laying and the doorway.

"Natsu." Lucy had to force his name out of her mouth.

Natsu looked at her with eyes full of fervor.

Lucy felt she couldn't breath.

"Wendy, I think we should give them some time." Carla coaxed Wendy out of the room. Wendy complied and wordlessly followed Carla out of the room and into the main hall.

Lucy and Natsu never took their eyes off of eachother. Lucy was about to speak but realised she had no idea what to say. She stared at Natsu, wanting him to come closer.

Natsu closed the distance between him and Lucy in two strides as if he read her mind. He sat down on the bed and pulled her into a surprisingly gentle hug.

"Natsu-"

"Please, don't speak," Natsu interrupted, "just let me hold you…"

After a few minutes, he pulled back and looked her in the eyes. He gently pushed a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"I got your call and I thought something was wrong so I ran over to your apartment and when I got there you were on unconscious and I-" Natsu choked on his own words as a tear fell down his cheek. He put his arm up over his eyes and slumped down. Lucy watched him with concern.

"I," He tried to control his emotions but failed. He spoke between broken sobs, "I thought you were, Oh Mavis I can't even say it. I thought you were-"

Lucy pulled him into a hug where his face was resting against her collarbone. Natsu wrapped his arms around her torso and gripped her shirt. He sobbed silently into her chest, his worry pouring out in salty tears that dripped onto the sheets.

"Natsu, I'm here, I'm fine, everything's okay…" Lucy comforted him, still not fully sure what exactly had triggered this kind of response from him.

"Shhh, you're okay, we're fine…" She continued in a soft voice.

Natsu gripped her shirt tighter and continued to weep to the soft tranquility of Lucy's voice.

Once he had gotten himself together, he pulled back and looked at Lucy in the eyes. Lucy's breath caught in her lungs from the intensity of his stare.

Before she could comprehend what was happening, she felt herself moving forward until her lips met his. He was tentative at first but then pushed back with passion, his feelings directly translated onto his lips. She grabbed his face with her hand, and pulled him closer, not once letting his lips straying too far. Natsu put his arm around her waist and grabbed her hand.

Nothing was going through his mind but how much he loved the girl in front of him. There was no other way but to describe her as perfect. He pulled her closer, leaving no space in between them. Lucy let him explore her lips but pushed back, wanting to explore his too.

Lucy's heart was beating out of her chest. She could feel Natsu's body sending off waves of heat, making her feel like she was burning. She shoved her lips onto his harder, her hand leaving his face and traveling down to hold his neck, deepening the kiss.

Natsu let out a low grunt before he pulled back, panting.

"Natsu," Lucy started before he could speak, "I think I'm in love with you."

"I love you." Natsu replied without hesitation. "I love you more than anything in this world. To me you are perfection and I will never let anyone put their hands on you again."

Lucy nodded and pulled him into the kiss again, but this time it was slow and less needful. Natsu grabbed her cheek and kissed her slow. When they pulled back again Lucy giggled.

"Thank you." Lucy said.

"For what?"

"For saving me."

 **I had fun writing this because I wanted to make Natsu seem weak and I feel like I did a pretty good job of portraying that (Leave a review if I did or not! :D ).**

 **Hope you had a good weekend.**

 **Until next time! ~**


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